Counterbalanced and self-closing platen cover

ABSTRACT

APPARATUS IS HEREIN DISCLOSED FOR CONTROLLING THE POSITIONING OF A COVER SUITABLE FOR PROTECTING A PLATEN AS UTILIZED IN AUTOMATIC REPRODUCING MACHINES. THE COVER AS OPERATIVELY XCONNECTED TO A CONTROL MECHANISM TO MOVE A SLIDE IN A HORIZONTAL DIRECTION AS THE PLATEN COVER IS RAISED OR LOWERED. A PAIR OF MECHANICALLY BIASED MEMBERS ACT ON THE SIDE, AND COACT WITH EACH OTHER TO SUPPORT THE COVER IN A STATIONARY POSITION WHEN THE COVER IS RAISED ABOVE A PREDETERMINED POSITION AND AUTOMATICALLY MOVES THE COVER INTO CLOSURE WHEN IT IS PLACED BELOW THE PREDETERMINED POSITION.

o. NVEWCQMB 1 3,615,134

COUNTERBALANCED AND ELF-cLosING 'PLATEN covER Filed Sept. 29, 1969 Y 2 Sheets-Sheet l Hal , INVENTOR. DEAN R. NEWCOMB ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,615,134 COUNTERBALANCED AND SELF-CLOSING PLATEN COVER Dean R. Newcomb, Macedon, N.Y., assignor to Xerox Corporation, Rochester, N.Y.

Filed Sept. 29, 1969, Ser. No. 861,880 Int. Cl. G03b 27/62 US. Cl. 355-75 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus is li'erein disclosed for controlling the positioning of a cover suitable for protecting a platen as utilized in automatic reproducing machines. The cover is operatively connected to a control mechanism to move a slide in a horizontal direction as the platen cover is raised or lowered. A pair of mechanically biased members act on the slide, and coact with each other to support the cover in a stationary position when the cover is raised above a predetermined position and automatically moves the cover into closure when it is placed below the predetermined position.

This invention relates in general to a control mechanism for regulating the positioning of a closure device.

In office copying machines, it is the general practice to support an original to be reproduced upon a transparent platen and create an optical image of the original which is placed upon .a light receiving surface. A shield of some kind is usually provided with the machine to cover the platen when the machine is not in use and to prevent extraneous light from entering the optical system A still further object of this invention is to improve control mechanism for regulating the positioning of a closure device.

These and other objects of the present invention are attained by means of a control apparatus including a movable slide mechanism operatively connected to a shield and the slide arranged to reciprocate when the shield is moved between an opened and closed position, a first biasing means acting on the slide member to support the slide in a stationary condition when the shield is moved to a position between a predetermined position and the opened position, and a second biasing means arranged to override the first biasing means when the shield is placed at a position between the predetermined position and the closed position to automatically close the shield.

For a better understanding of this invention as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference is had to the following detailed description of the invention to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation in partial section showing the control mechanism of the present invention and illustrating the cover in a position wherein the mechanism is conditioned to automatically return the cover to a closed position;

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1 illustrating the mechanism supporting the cover in a stationary elevated condition;

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FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of the platen cover mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1 showing a platen cover seated against a horizontal platen.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, a support, generally referenced 10, is shown mounted in a substantially horizontal position and secured within the frame of an automatic copying apparatus. Although not shown, the support can be arranged to support an original intended to be reproduced in light projecting relationship with an optical system supported within the machine frame which, for example, may focus a light image of the original upon a light sensitive member wherein the member is imaged corresponding to the original subject matter.

The stationary support is mounted within an opening within the machine member 13. The support includes a rectangular transparent platen 14, usually made of glass, which is secured by suitable means to the machine frame. The platen rests upon a soft edge gasket 17 which is carried on the horizontal dependent flange 16 of the machine frame. A cover plate 20, aflixed to the machine frame, is placed over the frame and is provided with an opening to expose the top surface of the platen.

A platen shield, generally referred to as 23, is movably supported along one edge of the platen and includes a rigid continuous outer shell 24 having afiixed thereto a soft rubber-like backing 25 arranged to contact the upper exposed surface of the glass platen when the cover is placed in a fully closed position. The backing can be fabricated from either a natural rubber or any number of commercially available synthetic rubbers, as for eX- ample, foamed polyurethane, which is affixed to the outer shell by means of an adhesive. A handle 26 is provided along the free end of the cover and provides a means by which the cover can be raised and lowered. The opposite end of the cover is secured to a hinged support 27, by suitable means, and the support rigidly afiixed to an elongated hinge pin 29. The hinge pin has a turned crank arm 19 formed at one end while the linear portion thereof is rotatably supported on machine member 13 in a plurality of hinge brackets 21.

A carriage 30 is bolted to a side bracket 33 of the machine frame and slidable therein a slide member 31. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a vertical aligned slotted hole 32 is formed in the right-hand end of the slide member and freely receives therein the offset crank arm formed in the end of hinge pin 29. An annular snap ring 35 is placed over the end of the hinge pin to prevent lateral movement between the pin and the slide member. A second, horizontally aligned, slotted hole 36- is also formed within slide member 31. through which a bolt 38 passes. The bolt is secured in the machine bracket 32. and holds the slide in movable operative relation with the carriage member. In operation, raising or lowering the cover causes the crank arm to move the slide member back and forth within the carriage.

A housing 41 is also secured to the side of machine bracket 33. The housing comprises a main body 43 having a support flange 42 aflixed thereto. The housing is adjustably mounted on the bracket by a pair of screws 44 passing through slotted holes in the support flange and the housing arranged to overlie in horizontal parallel relation therewith slide 31 (FIG. 3).

The left-hand end of the slide member 31, as shown in FIG. 1, is provided with a horizontally extended dependent flange 40 which reciprocates within housing 41 as the slide member moves back and forth. A compression spring 47 is mounted between the flange 40 and stationary side walls 49 of the housing. The spring acts to hold the slide member and cover in a stationary condition regardless of the position at which the cover is placed.

A second biasing member is provided to override the effects of spring 47 when the cover is brought to a predetermined position in relation to the platen which forces the slide to the right as shown in FIG. 1 to automatically bring the cover into closure against the platen surface. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, an opening 50 is cut out of the bottom of slide 31 having a side wall thereof describing an inclined plane 51. The bottom rail 54 of carriage 30 is turned downwardly and carries a generally vertically aligned spring housing 53 below the slide member 31. An L-shaped plate 53 is slidably supported within the housing and is biased upwardly by means of a second spring 59.

The slide plate 55 has a surface 57 (FIG. 2) machined thereon which complements the inclined plane 51 formed in the side wall of opening 50. Spring 59 is seated in the bottom of housing 53 and exerts an upward pressure against the plate whereby the top surface of the plate normally rides in sliding contact against the bottom surface of the slide member. However, when the platen cover is moved between full closure against the platen and a predetermined position, the plate 55 is forced by the spring upwardly into opening 50. As shown in FIG. 1, as the plate moves into the aperture opening, surface 57 thereon mates with complementary inclined plane 51. A portion of the upward biasing pressure of spring 59 is now converted into a horizontal component acting against the slide with suificient force to override the holding effect of spring 47. At this time, the slide member is forced rearwardly causing the cover to automatically drop down into lighttight closure against the top surface of the platen.

In practice, the platen cover is permitted to swing upwardly approximately 80 above the horizontal plane of the platen. The cover will remain in a stationary condition at any desired positionbetween 30 and 80 above the platen surface providing sufficient room for the operator to place an original thereon. However, when the platen is positioned anywhere between and 30 above the platen surface, the holding feature of the system is negated by the override spring and the cover automatically moves downwardly into closure with the platen.

While this invention has been described with reference to the structure disclosed herein, it is not necessarily confined to the expressed details set forth herein. As can be seen, the automatic holding and closing features of the present disclosure, because they are not gravity dependent, will work equally as well in association with a vertical copyboard or a copyboard supported in any position without departing from the invention concept disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any such modifications as may come within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cover control apparatus including:

a closure means movably supported in relation to a stationary surface and being arranged to move between a closed position in contact with said surface and a fully open position remote from said surface,

a slide member arranged to reciprocate in a plane and being connected to said closure means wherein the slide moves back and forth in said plane as said closure means is moved between said fully open and said closed positions,

a first biasing means arranged to act on said slide to hold said slide in a stationary condition wherein the cover remains stationary when placed at a position between said fully open position and said closed position,

a second biasing means arranged to act on said slide to override said first biasing means when said closure means is placed at a position between said closed position and a predetermined position intermediate said closed position and said fully open position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the closure means is arranged to move into light-tight relationship with a viewing platen when in said closed position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said closure means includes a rigid, self-supporting member hinged at one end whereby said member swings about one edge of said platen.

4. Apparatus for controlling the positioning of a movably mounted cover for shielding in light-tight relation a viewing platen including:

means to hold said cover in a stationary condition at which said platen cover is placed between a closed position in light-tight relation with said platen and a fully open position, and means to override said last means and return the platen cover into light-tight relation with the viewing platen when the cover is placed between said closed position and a second position intermediate said closed position and said fully open position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,415,230 5/1922 Dye 355-116 SAMUEL S. MATTHEWS, Primary Examiner M. L. GELLNER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

